The day we met the radio

Today is the day we met the radio. Our leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, during the founding process of the Republic, realized how foreign countries were using the radio as an effective propaganda tool and gave the start for radio broadcasts to begin in Turkey as soon as possible. Even in the conditions of scarcity and deprivation of that period, a miracle was achieved with entirely local resources, and Eşref Şefik Bey made the first address to the public from the historic PTT building in Sirkeci, Istanbul, on May 6, 1927: “alo alo, esteemed listeners…”

A few months later, radio broadcasts became possible in the capital Ankara, and subsequently in almost all regions of the country. Again, by the order of Atatürk, broadcasts began to be provided in French and German, which were the common languages of that period. Indeed, considering its role in the First World War, the radio was used as the most effective propaganda and promotional tool in those times.

For a society to emerge from a colonial space, to stand on its own feet, and to become independent, it is very important to create its own information channels and establish its communication system. Setting out with a leader who realizes this is a guarantee that the journey will end in victory. Indeed, when a journalist asked Atatürk “how did you win this war,” his response of “with telegraph wires” is a clear expression of the consciousness in this direction. As a matter of fact, first the unit dealing with post, telegraph, and telephone affairs was established, then the Anadolu Agency was founded, and immediately after the proclamation of the Republic, the start was given for radio broadcasts to begin, taking into account technical and personnel capabilities.

The older generation used to say "agency" instead of news. I remember from my childhood years. The elders of the family would wait excitedly to listen to the news given on the hour on the radio; when the news started, they would silence the children in the house by saying, 'be quiet, the agency is starting.' I realized years later that the reason they called the news "agency" was the influence of the Anadolu Agency.

The adults would wait excitedly for the agency, and we children would wait for programs like radio theater, serials, and children's hour. I must admit, I was so unhappy when the Yurttan Sesler (Voices from the Homeland) Choir broadcast started, and I would be impatient for it to end so that music broadcasts like Turkish light music, Turkish classical music, or Turkish folk music could begin. I didn't know back then that the Yurttan Sesler Choir, formed by Muzaffer Sarısözen, was an important stage in the development process of our music.

We grew up nourished by serials and radio theaters. Although they may not give the same taste to us adults now, these programs still continue in the same way on TRT Radio today. They were truly high-quality productions. Because I grew up with the radio, I still feel very lucky today. Quite high-quality novels and plays by important authors were adapted for the radio. Thus, we had the opportunity to meet the works of the world's best authors, and we could touch the most qualified sections of world literature. We didn't just listen to these works on the radio; we would also get curious about the work itself and read it, and therefore we could internalize it.

Radio is a mass communication tool that can be easily integrated into the flow of daily life. Because it is only auditory, it is possible to listen to it in any condition and in any environment. We can add it to every one of our daily life practices. While cooking, cleaning, traveling, walking, exercising, reading and writing at a desk, designing, or thinking, we can always find and listen to a suitable program on the radio according to the environment and the work we are doing.

Because it can integrate with every aspect of daily life, the radio is also a very important and effective tool for acculturation. Within the flow of life, we can harmonize it with every part of our living space and benefit from it according to our needs. Sometimes music, sometimes a success story, sometimes sadness, sometimes a play; in short, whatever you want, you can listen to the radio next to you, on your desk, in your pocket, in your car, or in your bag. It definitely has something to say to you.

How the radio became an indispensable and natural part of people's daily lives was also proven by an event that took place in America in 1938. The broadcast of Orson Welles's The War of the Worlds as a radio theater on the radio suddenly turns into a complete disaster for Americans. The reason for the disaster is that the announcer who presents the news on the radio every morning takes part in the play and reads the news text included in the play, which is about Martians invading the world. New Yorkers, who are used to listening to news from the announcer every day, are suddenly terrified when they hear the news that Martians have invaded the world, started the invasion from New York, and even entered the radio building; they pack up their belongings and take to the roads in panic. It is not easy at all to calm hundreds of thousands of people and convince them to return to their homes.

This event, which was the subject of many researchers' studies afterward, also shows that the radio is a communication tool that has integrated into all the textures of its listeners' lives, far beyond other mass media tools.

We can say that the radio is the mass communication tool that adapts most quickly to digitalization. With internet radio and the technological support provided by smartphones, the radio is now with us everywhere. In our bag, in our pocket, on our arm, in our ear.

In that case, it is necessary to use the radio much more effectively. With the introduction of the internet to use, and digital technologies and artificial intelligence becoming the agenda, the radio seems to be a bit forgotten, or rather ignored. It is more in our lives than all other mass media, but it is not as popular as them. People often neglect and ignore what is closest to them. This must be the reason why the radio has fallen out of favor. But its impact and its place in life are very important. When we look at its use throughout history, we see that its impact on social and cultural transformation is very high. It is a mass communication tool that war and politics use very intensely and effectively. Therefore, it does not deserve to be ignored at all. It is suitable for use in every section of society, from the mass sphere to the individual sphere. It has ease of access and use in every environment and under every technological condition.

Here, I would especially like to say to the young people who are studying communication and will become communication professionals: We may not find the radio as attractive as cinema, television, or social media, but in fact, the reality is not like that at all. With the radio, there is an opportunity to reach every segment of society and every individual. This tool gives the opportunity to get in touch with people of all education levels. Therefore, your professionalization in radio is very important in terms of increasing the contribution of this tool to social and cultural development. No matter what level technological developments reach, the radio will always maintain its existence by transforming and adapting. As it has been until today, it will be indispensable from now on as well.